Damon Brandt

There has been a surge of interest recently in the art world over arte povera. The movement, which emerged in Italy in the late ’60s and early ’70s, has never been so appreciated as it is now. Greater recognition has also been given to a number of American artists whose work since the late ’70s has offered a more local manifestation of the same esthetic. The new fascination with this esthetic has resulted in the rediscovery of a number of exceptional artists, many of whom are conceptually oriented and have lived and worked in the San Francisco area since the mid ’70s. David Ireland is one such artist, and this exhibition was a very welcome step toward bringing this West Coast master of deconstructed interiors toward the larger audience he deserves.

Ireland involves himself in the creation of difficult, enigmatic, site-oriented environmental sculpture. He shares with arte povera artists a